Bulletville

Artist: Mark Utley

Cincinnati’s Mark Utley begins Bulletville with “Good Timin’ Girl” – thus begins the listeners journey back to the popular honky-tonk sound of the late ‘60s and ‘70s when Glen Campbell, Charlie Rich and Hee Haw were prime time television fixtures. These aren’t campy or over nostalgic songs, but simply what is needed in today’s country music. Utley is a sensitive singer-songwriter whose pain and tears rival the great Keith Whitley’s. Utley is joined by his Magnolia Mountain partner Renee Frye on several songs. Their harmonizing and soulful connection on “Only in Our Minds” and “The Only Thing” couldn’t be stronger. The only problem with this CD, produced by John Curley of the Afghan Whigs, is that it ends after 11 songs. Quite possibly the best local album of any genre released this year.